Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen novel Chapter 382

Eileen stood in the bustling hallway of the Army Command Academy, surrounded by fellow applicants. She could hardly believe what she had just overheard.

"Are these classmates for real?" she thought, incredulously. "Seriously, I'm standing right here, and they can't tell I'm a girl? Maybe they should donate their eyes to someone who actually needs them!"

With a fiery glare, Eileen shot a look at the two gossiping students and, with a flourish, gave them a little finger gesture that left them speechless.

Feeling triumphant, Eileen continued to queue up. When her turn came, she made a point of strutting past the two students, making sure they noticed her confidence, before heading into the female recruitment office with her head held high.

Inside the office, three recruiters sat behind a desk—two women and one man. As Eileen entered, their pens paused mid-note, and they exchanged glances. They'd heard the buzz about a celebrity coming to apply, but seeing her in person was something else.

Meanwhile, Burton Lopez was on the phone with an old high school buddy. "Yeah, it's Eileen! I saw her with my own eyes when I was visiting the school. You remember her from that show we were on together, right? I thought about asking for her autograph, but then I saw her giving someone the finger and figured she might not be in the mood."

Burton, unaware that his aunt was applying today, was surprised. He wasn't an Army Command Academy graduate himself, but he had friends there. After hanging up, he rushed back to his dorm to call his sister, Elaine.

Elaine was at home on a break when she got Burton's call. She immediately sprang into action, announcing to the household, "Auntie's back!"

Sonia Mayfield Lopez peeked out from the kitchen where she was experimenting with a new baking recipe. Flossie, who was painting on the balcony, set down her brush. Rosalind Robert Lopez, just descending the stairs, quickened her pace. Isabel, doing homework at the dining table, nudged her chair away with her hip.

Four generations of women gathered excitedly around Elaine, their curiosity piqued. "She's back? Wasn't she supposed to be abroad promoting her movie for ages?"

"She's here to apply to the military academy!" Elaine explained.

Rosalind paused, then quickly rallied. "Let's get dressed, ladies! How can we let her apply without any support? We’ll cheer her on from the school gates!"

Sonia and Flossie hurried to follow her lead, but Elaine stopped them. "Grandma, Aunt Sonia, Aunt Flossie, there's no point. Once they start the process, she won't be able to leave campus for two weeks at least."

Rosalind was taken aback. "Two weeks?"

Sonia chimed in, "Yep, it's quite a long process. Remember when the kids applied? They were in for months."

Rosalind turned to Elaine for confirmation, who nodded emphatically.

Disappointed, Rosalind sighed. "Guess we'll have to wait until she finishes to see her."

Elaine, ever the optimist, consoled her, "Don't worry, Grandma! Burton’s got connections at the academy. We can get updates whenever we need."

"Then give me Burton's number!" Rosalind insisted.

Elaine laughed, "It's the same number he's always had, Grandma!"

"But I need you to give it to me!" Rosalind demanded.

Elaine sighed, rubbing her temples. "Grandma, how do you not have your grandson's number?"

Rosalind shrugged. With so many family members constantly changing phones and numbers, she couldn't possibly keep track. These days, she only memorized Eileen’s number, relying on her status as the family matriarch to have others fetch numbers for her.

Meanwhile, Burton was strategizing, using a series of dinners—five, to be exact—to bribe an old academy buddy to keep him updated on Eileen’s progress.

Back at the academy, Eileen was finishing up her basic interview questions.

She stood tall in a crisp, sporty outfit—something that allowed freedom of movement while still looking sharp.